To Make Ends Meet
by The-Amazing-Me
Summary: Times are tough, especially in the Slums of Midgar. In order to survive, Tifa goes to try to get a new job. Pre-FF7 storyline. NEW CHAPTER 9 is up.(R for adult content)Feel free to review, anonymously or not.
1. The Train

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.  
  
To Make Ends Meet  
  
"I'll be back in a while, OK Barrett?" Tifa called down the pinball machine located in her bar, 7th Heaven. She was wearing her trademark black suspenders and white T-shirt. She also had a backpack on. "What the hell? Where the %*&)( you goin? You know I got my AVALANCHE meetin' here in a sec, whose gonna watch the Bar?" said a gruff voice, sounding through the floor itself. Tifa shouted back down, "Marlene is going to take over, she can handle it and you're right downstairs anyway Barrett." and turned around, walking out the door. "Yeah...but where ya goin!?" The hole where the pinball machine was supposed to be said, as the front door closed behind Tifa.  
  
It was cold out, the only real sign it was night in the Sector 7 Slums. Sure the sun didn't make the hugest impression on the vast metropolis of junk and mismatched buildings, but its absence after dark was still noticeable. After dark was just an expression here also, it was always light out thanks to the huge fluorescent bulbs that Shinra inc. had been nice enough to provide. It wasn't a healthy light however, more a sickly kind of glow, that made all the shabby surroundings even shabbier looking.  
  
The dirt crunched under Tifa's boots as she quickly walked to the Sector 7 rail station. She didn't want to be seen for two reasons, one was bothersome questions, and the other was simply that a woman walking around alone at night in the Slums was a danger all in itself. Luckily she met no one, and reached the train without any sort of confrontation. The worker wearing his all red uniform didn't even give her a second glance as she boarded onto the passenger car. It was crowded and noisy inside, the essence of Slum living. Choosing a seat in the very back, she set the backpack on her lap and gazed out the window, sighing softly. She loved her Bar, but times were tough. She barely broke even before AVALANCHE started, but now that it had, money was tight. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie were all friends of Barretts, but even friends expect to be paid if they risk their lives on a daily basis. Tifa closed her eyes and pressed her face against the cool glass on the train's window, letting her mind wander.  
  
With a sudden lurch, the train started, and shook her out of her stupor. The train was mostly full of Shinra employees, guards, and soldiers. Dotted among the Shinra were a few other people, looking underfed and slightly sickly, most hadn't even bothered to wash themselves for their trip to wherever they were heading. Tifa was one of them, the most recent thing taken from her was hot, clean water. Taking a shower would probably make her dirtier, and a bath was completely out of the question. She opened her backpack, and started feeling around for her compact mirror. Her hand hit something soft, that lead to something big, round and hard that seemed to have a point on the end. She drove this object to the back of her mind for the moment, and reached in deeper to get her compact. Her hand finally closed on the round plastic exterior, and She withdrew her hand. The outside was black, and chipped in places, but upon opening it the mirror was found to be whole. She glanced absently at her face, and noticing a large smudge mark under her left eye, she licked her thumb and started trying to wipe it off. She succeeded, but the spot was slightly red after. Sighing yet again, Tifa put her compact back into her backpack and went back to staring out the window.  
  
A loudspeaker from the back of the train, and over Tifa's head, sparked to life and the passengers fell silent. The words were fuzzy and faded in and out. "Thank You...boarding...Sector 7...15 minutes...Wall Market..." and then it clicked off, and talking resumed. Two Shinra managers were sitting in front of Tifa, and one was talking proudly to the other and Tifa leaned in a little closer to hear, "...This new security is going to change the way we travel, and make this train a hundred times safer!". "Oh yeah? and hows it going to work?" the other one asked. "Well, after months of testing and planning by yours truly, we will have a type of laser controlled checkpoint, that can check the ID of everyone on the train! we can stop criminals, both coming and going!" the first one replied. His friend however, seemed to be on a different wave length, "Think about it...if everyone in Midgar has to buy an ID card, and its 30 Gil apiece..." Tifa leaned back disgustedly. "Is that all the Shinra thought about? Money?" she thought. She sat there in silence, thinking vaguely about her Bar, AVALANCHE, Barrett, Marlene, and Wall Market. The loudspeaker crackled to life again and the conductors voice buzzed through the car. "Thank You...Shinra...Arriving...Wall Market..." The train made an abrupt stop, causing Tifa to hunch over her backpack, and then quickly bounce back, and hit her head on her seat. Steam billowed past the window for a moment, and then the train door slid open roughly.  
  
As a whole, everyone but Tifa stood up and headed for the exit. Tifa, not in any particular hurry, let most of the people filter out before she stood up and walked out. The lights in Wall Market seemed to be somehow harsher then in Sector 7, and the dirt seemed to be deeper, so her feet sunk into it slightly. Tifa squinted out to the dirty streets, looking for a place to stay. Wall Market could be called the city of the Slums, and Don Corneo was their unofficial mayor. Every building was some sort of shop, but Don Corneo's was the biggest, and most successful. Tifa looked down to her right at the crowd of men waiting outside of a building with neon pink flashing lights. She watched them anxiously for a few minutes. They looked nervous, glancing at the building with a look of half-longing, and half- fear. A small knot in her stomach tightened at the look of them, but then she turned to the inn on her left. A man outside was yelling for customers, as though in a shouting contest with the man up the street, trying to get people to enter his Diner. "Hey, stay here lady!" he called, gesturing from Tifa to the inn. With a forced smile, she walked slowly into the inn's door.  
  
---------------That's it for Chapter 1, Please Review! Thank You!----------- --------- 


	2. The Inn

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.  
  
The inn was a small, cramped building. The roughly placed floorboards creaked under Tifa's weight as she walked to the receptionists desk, and the light bulbs didn't seem to be working properly. They blinked occasionally, causing the shadows to dance on the peeling wallpaper. She made a quick sweep of the place with her eyes. To the immediate left was a door with the word "Bathroom" written in sloppy, scrawled writing. Next to the bathroom, was a small closed door, presumably a closet. On the far end of the main room two or three beds could be seen; they sagged slightly in the dim light. Directly in front of her was what looked like a vending machine, selling various kinds of sports drinks, with the slogan "Energy for all day and night!".  
  
The receptionist himself somehow managed to keep himself clean, despite his surroundings. His full head of red hair rested atop a thin face, and quick, cunning eyes. Tifa opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off a second before she could make a noise. "Welcome to the Wall Market Inn, a safe, family orientated house. How may I serve you tonight, Miss?" he said, in a raspy voice that didn't seem to fit the figure. Tifa wondered vaguely how such a run-down shack could be "family orientated". The man seemed to read her mind as he continued his obviously well learned sales pitch, "This may not be the fanciest inn, but around here we run a respectable business," and then added in a bitter undertone that never the less carried across the room, "Unlike some of our...competitors". The last statement was a brief shock for Tifa, but it only lasted a tenth of a second. However, the knot in her stomach drew even tighter. "I'd like a room to stay in," she said, trying to sound casual. The Receptionist smiled, "Of course. It's 50 Gil a night. I am sorry the prices are so high," He said in a voice that sounded entirely truthful.  
  
The price was steep, but it was to be expected. Nothing in Wall Market is cheap. Tifa swung her backpack around, so it rested against her side while one arm was still strapped in, and began to dig for her sack of gold. Her hand clenched around the small bag. Months of saving every extra Gil, every last tip, it was all in this bag. She paused for a moment. Her Bar, Marlene, AVALANCHE, it all depended on tomorrow. It all depended on her being there early. It all depended on her staying in this inn. It all depended on the sack of gold clenched in her sweaty hand. Summoning all her willpower, she managed a smile as she tipped the Gil into the mans hand. "Thank You, please enjoy your stay" he said, and gestured to the back room, "Oh, and feel free to use our shower and bathroom". Tifa replied, "Thank You" and with a slight bow she turned and walked to her room, closing the door behind her. The Receptionist watched her, with a slight pang of guilt. Taking Gil from a poverty stricken girl wasn't exactly a perk of his job. He quickly mashed those thoughts down, and added Tifa's fee to his own bag. He needed to eat too, after all.  
  
The room was built to handle three people at once, but the extra room felt nice to Tifa. Compared to her usual space cramped among Barrett, Marlene, and the AVALANCHERS, this was paradise. She tossed her backpack on the far right bed, and collapsed face-down on the middle one. The bed heaved from her weight, but still remained on all four legs, the mattress not touching the floor. She wasn't tired, more nervous then anything. Breathing in the smell of the musty pillow, she rolled over and stared up at the cracked ceiling. She traced them from one side of the room to the other, pointing up at them with her finger. Subconsciously she was thinking of the coming day. She was due at the Don's Mansion at exactly 08:00 SMT (Standard Midgar Time). Tifa rolled over on her side to stare at the neon alarm clock. It was only 19:00, much too early for her to sleep, no matter how nervous she may be. She had been staying up till the wee hours of the morning for as long as she could remember, 7th Heaven was most active at night, and who was she to turn down people dishing out Gil until they passed out? Extending her arm, she grabbed the clock and set the alarm to go off at 06:00. That would give her plenty of time to get ready for her interview. The thought of her meeting made the knot in her stomach jump uncomfortably, but it was something she would have to think about eventually. Tifa set the alarm clock back, and rose from the bed. She walked over to her backpack, and flipped it upside down, emptying its contents onto the bed.  
  
Several pairs of her suspenders and white T-shirts flopped onto the sheets, along with what looked like a skimpy reddish-brown leotard. Something black and yellow striped made of plastic with rounded sides seemed to be attached to the hindquarters of it, and it ended in a long, sharp point. Large bug- like wings were sticking out of the back. Tifa put her hand deeper in, and pulled out a hairband with two long pairs of antennae attached. Her feelings towards these garments were considerably mixed. On the one hand, this interview could make her tons of money, and on the other...it seemed degrading to herself. Tifa had been mulling the idea over in her head for months, but when her water was cut off, it was the deciding factor. Swallowing her pride, she had made her own homemade bee costume. With a little luck, her money problems would be over. Tifa let the idea of money to burn wash over her, and with that happy thought she fell back onto the bed once more, this time determined to go to sleep. It was an early morning tomorrow...and the Don isn't interested in sad, tired looking girls.  
  
-----------------------That's it for Chapter 2. Please Review!-------------- ------------------------  
  
-----------Also a big thank you for reviewing to Candace and Noacat!-------- ----------------- 


	3. The Bath

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.  
  
Tifa woke up early the next to a loud buzzing, located somewhere to the right of her head. Without opening her eyes she slapped around randomly, finally connecting with the clock. The alarm immediately and Tifa rolled over. The second she had regained consciousness from her peaceful slumber, the weight of coming day had fallen down upon her. With a slight groan she sat up in bed, giving an almighty yawn. Sleep stabbed her eyes relentlessly, her mind was trying its best to convince her to lie back down, and the soft blankets seemed to be calling for her. Someone had been in to tidy up while she slept. Tifa found this somewhat unsettling, so after a little deliberation she decided that the freshly laundered garments were a welcome site. Sitting a little way from her usual attire, her honeybee costume had been neatly laid. She wondered vaguely what whoever had done her laundry made of this, and how widely known the Honey Bee Inn was. Yet again she pushed all thoughts of this into the back of her mind. Reaching forward to take it, she noticed how dirty her hands were. It seemed the only unclean thing about the room was its occupant. With a creak she stood up out of bed. She grabbed the homemade bee uniform and opened the door out.  
  
Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, Tifa quickly ran to the bathroom, eager to avoid questions. It was spotless. Polished white tiles covered the floor, and an old fashioned bathtub/shower combo seemed to sparkle. To her immediate left was a sink (this was also clean as a whistle) and a mirror. The Inn seemed to be full of surprises, and Tifa wondered how it could be doing badly. For a place in the Slums, this was high quality. She silently undressed herself, and turned the taps on. She hadn't taken a bath in so long, even when She did used to have water, it was still limited. Compared to the quick showers she was used to, the idea of a bath was wonderful. While the tub slowly filled she looked over at a full length mirror in the corner of the room. "Gross..." She muttered to herself, staring at her reflection. A thin layer of dust seemed to have absorbed into her skin, and made any part that wasn't covered by her usual clothes was a shade darker then that which was. She licked her thumb, and rubbed her left shoulder, but all that accomplished was to spread the dirt into a spiral shape.  
  
"Ooooh" Tifa cooed, and grabbed a small bottle of bubble bath soap. "A nice warm bubble bath...could this day get any better?" She thought, but then she remembered what the bath was for in the first place, and that shook her down to Earth rather quickly. Nonetheless, She poured half the bottle into the rushing tap water. Then She thought "Why not?" and poured the rest in. She tossed the empty bottle across the room, where it landed neatly in the garbage. Tifa bent over the tub and ran her hand through the warm foamy water. She pulled it back out again, and got a small surprise. She was dirtier then she thought. The water line could clearly be seen just above her wrist. She reached over and turned off the taps, and the steady dribbling of water slowed to a stop. Shivering with excitement, she stepped into the tub and sat down. Instantly, she felt the lower half of her body warm up, from her toes to her backside. Almost bursting with glee, She leaned back the rest of the way so only her head was above water. Tifa closed her eyes, and just lay there for a moment. It felt so good...the warm water encasing her body like a blanket. The lightly scented bubble soap filling her nostrils with their sweet odor. If only this moment could last forever. Bubbles tickled her chin, and she was contentedly swishing her left foot back and forth through the soapy water. After a few minutes peaceful meditation, Tifa reached under the water to find a bar of soap. Eventually she found it around her lower region. Very happily, she began to softly scrub her body. It felt wonderful to get the layer of dust and dirt off. First her face, neck, breasts, and switching hands each time her arms, making sure not to miss any spots. Then she hunched over and rubbed the bar very very gently over her private area, and then down her legs. Eventually she ended up hunching over completely to get the very soles of her feet. Next she arched her back, and scrubbed down her spine, and finally finished with a rather rougher treatment of her bottom, as it was hard enough to reach down there anyway. Dropping the soap, she grabbed a handful of bubbles, and absentmindedly started playing with them, sliding them back and forth between her hands. In her present mood, nothing seemed all bad. Even her impending interview refused to look bad, or rather, she refused to look at the negatives. Suddenly all she could think about was all the money she would be making. Marlene played with a brand new doll happily, wearing a pretty new dress. Her Bar was thriving with new lights installed, new tables, chairs, stools. Everything was so beautiful, so perfect. She envisioned herself behind the bar, smiling happily while the Gil rolled in, handing out drinks in response. Everyone was impressed with her, everyone was impressed with her bar. All it took was a little sacrifice on her part...just a little dignity lost, easily regained...  
  
About 10 minutes later, she awoke from her happy dream and rose up out of the water sadly, pulling out he plug and listening to the water swirl down the hole. Tifa lingered as long as she could, but as the last few bubbles popped, She knew it was time to get prepared. Spotting a nearby pile of towels, she grabbed two. One she wrapped around her waste and tugged up to her chest, and with the other she wrapped her hair up. Peeking out of the bathroom, she made sure the coast was clear, and darted into her room. Without even looking around, she turned and slammed the door shut behind her. She closed her eyes, and let her towel drop down to her ankles. Tifa turned around to grab her bee outfit, and let out a loud scream. There, hunched halfway through pulling up a tousled bed sheet, the inns receptionist was staring at her naked body, his mouth half open in shock and surprise. He quickly diverted his eyes, and hustled out of the room, muttering "sorry sorry sorry" the whole way out. Tifa just stared at the ground as he walked by. He silently closed the door. She silently made a note to herself to check empty rooms more often, and finished pulling the bed sheet up. She looked over to her right, at her bee costume. It was time, she could divert it no longer.  
  
She held the leotard part of it up, and suddenly it looked amazingly tight and small. Tifa silently reminded herself it would stretch, but still worried it might be a bit too revealing. This costume was of her own make, and didn't exactly match the quality of the True Honey Bees. Nonetheless, it was the best she could come up with. She stepped into it, and tugged it up her long legs. The hollow plastic stinger rubbed against the back of her leg on the way up. The plastic wings got caught on her butt. "Damn me and my big ass" she thought to herself, and immediately started worrying about it. "What if its too big...and the Don doesn't like it... or not big enough?!" and other thoughts of that sort floated through her head, as she tugged it up around. It felt odd, but she had at least done the measurements right. The wings poked her slightly, but were centered on her back. The stinger came off at just the right angle, but made her waddle slightly. Perhaps that's why all the girls she had seen had always been hopping from one place to the next. Her breasts felt slightly squashed, the suit was very tight. She did like the way it made her butt tighten up though, as she turned around and looked at it in the mirror. Tifa slid the antennae headband over her long, dark hair, and sighed, staring at her reflection. It all begins now...  
  
---------------------------------Thats it for Chapter 3, please Read and Review!----------------------------------  
  
----------------------------------Also a big thank you for reviewing to Lynx16!----------------------------------- 


	4. The Mansion

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.  
  
Tifa's door slowly opened, and the man at the receptionists desk looked up quickly. Very shyly, Tifa stepped forward into the light. The man just stared for a moment, and then hastily continued looking down at his paper. Tifa put her hands on her hips and looked at him disapprovingly, "Well...how do I look?"  
"You look splendid ma'am" he said shyly, after a few moments of silence.  
"Oh please, you already got a peek at me, you could at least be honest you know?"  
"Well..." he walked over to her, and pushed her antennae headband a little to the left. "That was a little off... and your stinger is a bit crooked as well..."  
"Right... well, it kinda bobs when I walk anyway..." Tifa replied, and walked towards the door to show him, and said with a little smile, "Cant be helped".  
"I am not sure of your plans...but have you thought everything out ahead of time? Know what you are getting yourself into? You do know exactly what...goes on... around here? And what that outfit represents? You may want to cover up on the way to your destination..." the Receptionist explained.  
"Oh I'll be all right" Tifa replied, and opened the door, "Thanks anyway though." And then she waved and walked out, closing the door behind her. "If you say so ma'am..." he muttered, returning to his desk.  
  
It was morning, but the Slums didn't show any recognition of the outside world, and kept their dim, dirty looks. After Tifa stepped outside, she suddenly realized exactly how far it was to the Dons Mansion, and she was already getting a few odd looks from the residents of Wall Market. The door suddenly opened behind her, and hit her lightly in the stinger. She turned and the Receptionist was standing there smiling, holding out a large overcoat. "I told you I didn't need that!" Tifa said stubbornly, and quickly waddled away from the door angrily. The man watched her go until it became apparent she wasn't going to return, and walked back into the Inn, letting the door swing shut behind him.  
  
"For being the early morning, there sure are a lot of people out..." Tifa thought, as she waddled as fast as she could down the dirty street. She felt horribly exposed, and was already regretting being so brash with the Innkeeper. He was just trying to help after all. On either side of the street, windows were shutting as she passed. Citizens outside stared at her, whispering to each other from behind their hands. Some were even pointing at her while they hissed in their neighbors ear. Tifa's eyes darted from one to the other, her legs pumping furiously, trying her best to leave the gaping crowd behind. Out of the nearest crowd, a mans voice called out "Slut!". Tifa jumped slightly, and stopped to look at him, "What did you... call me?". He stepped forward, his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. His wore dark green cargo pants and a white tank top, showing off his rather large muscles. "You heard Me, Slut. Im sick and tired of your kind stinkin' up these streets, they're already bad enough as it is" he said, and the crowd gave an agreeing cheer.  
  
"You...you don't understand!" Tifa replied, feeling her eyes start to well up with angry tears, but she was horribly aware of her wings swaying behind her, and the stale air on her exposed legs and arms.  
"What don't I understand?" The Man sneered, "The only one that aint understanding, is you. Maybe some stupid people are happy with you and your pals whoring up Wall Market, but I wont take it so easy! I have a family, and don't like your kind just walking around freely."  
"This...this isn't just your town, I can do what I want!" Tifa started to stutter back, but the crowd had begun a chant since the beginning of this argument, and it was rising to its peak, "Whore, Whore, Whore!"  
"No!!" Tifa screamed, and brushed past the man. He grabbed one of her wings as she tried to escape, and pulled her back.  
"I don't ever want to see you here again." He muttered, and Tifa summoned all her strength and tore free, but unfortunately, so did her left wing. The man laughed and threw it down, and soon the rest joined in laughing, the chanting of "Whore! Whore! Whore!" still repeated by a few in the background.  
  
Tifa stumbled when she suddenly broke free, and fell to the ground. She quickly scrambled back up and crawled away on all fours, tears streaming down her face. Once she was a safe distance away, she collapsed onto the dirt floor, sobbing. "Do they think I want to do this?" she thought bitterly to herself, biting her lower lip to choke back more crying. There was a rip in the back of her suit where the wing had been dislodged, and her hands and knees were dirty. Tifa stood up, and looked back. The crowd had dispersed, and one would never have known what kind of traumatic experience had happened. She brushed herself off as best she could and looked up. She had somehow managed to make it to the Don's Mansion. It seemed to be following some sort of Wutai motif, Wutai symbols had been painted all over it, along with clay tile roofing. It looked like a sort of palace in the Slums, and the man outside wearing a blue bandana was its guard. Tifa walked slowly up to him, her eyes glancing nervously from him, to the door, to the ground, and then back to him. "Hey there sweet cheeks, can I help you?" he said sarcastically, a smirk playing on his face. "I... I am here to see The Don" she stuttered yet again, unwilling to look into his searching eyes.  
He surveyed her for a few silent tense moments. "Yeah, I figured that much. Looks like a Hunny-Bee Wanna-Be to me. What's your name baby?"  
"Is it really any of your business?" She replied, getting her temper back slightly, this man just seemed slimy to her.  
"Woah, feisty one. Well technically I'm supposed to ask... make sure you have an appointment and everythin', ya know? The Dons a busy guy."  
"Oh...well...its Tifa, Tifa Lockhart, and I do have an interview."  
"Gotcha, your appointment is for...lets see," He checked his clipboard, "8? And your applying for a job? Well your late. Its 8:10, but go on in anyway. I got a feeling The Don is gonna like you." and he opened up the curtain behind him, bowing and gesturing inside.  
"I had trouble on the way here... but Thank You." She bowed to him, and walked into the door behind him. She waddled by, and pretended not to notice the man scanning her body more closely, now that she was closer to him. The curtains swung closed behind her.  
  
-----------------------------------------------Thats it for Chapter 4!------ -----------------------------------------------  
  
--------------Also a big thank you to ignorantly_grinning and Mithrandir505 for reviewing!-------------- 


	5. The Interview

Disclaimer- I own nuffin. XXX-WARNING, ADULT MATERIAL-XXX  
  
It took a moment for Tifa's eyes to adjust to the dim red light inside of The Dons mansion. Cheesy neon hearts flickered and glowed from every angle. What could have been a handsome staircase seemed dirty under the poor lighting. A man sat behind a large desk, lazily scanning a piece of paper laying out in front of him. He hadn't seemed to notice Tifa, and drawing up the dignity she could, she walked over in front of the man, trying her best not to waddle, but her large plastic stinger made it difficult. "Hello, my name is Tifa Lockhart, and I am here for my appointment." she stated in a loud clear voice. With an annoyed wave of his hand, he muttered "Up the stairs...middle door", never taking his eyes out of the parchment. "Humph" Tifa scowled at his uncaring nature, and turned on her heel to the steps behind her.  
  
Very slowly she moved up the stairs, gliding her hand up the railing. A full length mirror was at the top, and she stared critically at herself for a moment. She couldn't help but notice how shabby she now looked. Her bath had been in vain, the small mob attack had gotten her just as dusty as she had been before, if not worse. The one missing wing annoyed her greatly. The had no idea how hard she had worked to make this costume, much less all the hassle it took to keep it secret from Barrett, Marlene, and the AVALANCHErs. She would get back at them someday... but for the present time, all her focus was on The Don. Glancing at her tasseled hair, she thought hopefully that The Don might go for this kind of look, but She still frantically tried to comb it out with her fingers. Admitting defeat, she walked over to the middle door, taking little notice of the other two. This door was obviously much more important then the other two. An intricate design of ivy and hearts outlined its border. With a final tug of her skintight leotard to make sure it was in place, she reached forward and turned the knob.  
  
It opened with ease, and Tifa let it swing inward. It seemed even darker inside then in the main lobby, but she stepped through the doorway. It was hard to be sure of her surroundings. Shadowy and unrecognizable shapes littered the sides of the room, but the middle was bare except for one shape, slightly shorter then she was. Suddenly the door slammed shut behind her. Tifa gasped and turned around quickly, but was unexpectedly tackled to the ground by one of the shapes on her left, and she felt her stinger crack and break under her. A bright light flared onto the shape in front of her, and a short squat man was staring grimly at her. He had a red coat, and a blond Mohawk going across his bald head. This was the infamous Don. "Only one question... can you handle..." He snapped his fingers, and the man that had tackled Tifa before begin to wildly tear her leotard off, ripping it to shreds and throwing the pieces away, "This?" and then the Man forced her legs apart forcefully. She screamed as loud as she could, crying out loud, but soon he was on top of her, pumping furiously into her. Against her will, she moaned loudly between her tears, slapping at the figure on top of her with all her strength. In response he grabbed Tifa closer, and held her face up against his chest...  
  
Then he was off of her, and had gone off into the shadows once more, leaving Tifa naked and crying in a heap on the floor, her Antennae hanging lopsidedly off the top of her head. "Now, if you would be so kind as to come into my office..." The Don continued, as if nothing had happened at all. Tifa looked up in a rage of tears and hate, but He had turned his back on her, "To inquire about future job employment..." and then he walked under the curtain behind him. Immediately she got up and ran to the exit, trying to keep herself covered up as best she could. However, the door was locked. She desperately pounded on it, "let me out..." Everything had become horribly twisted, Tifa felt sick to her stomach, and an overwhelming amount of self-blame was slowly taking over her mind. How could she have been so stupid... She had thought she had known what went on in this place, thought she could handle it. But this... this was horrible. She curled up in a little ball, leaning against the door, sobbing silently. The Dons voice rang out from behind the curtains, "I am a busy man, please hurry up. I have things to do." Tifa stared in disbelief, how could he be so calm about such a thing? Very slowly, she rose to her feet and miserably shuffled through the room, not even trying to cover herself up anymore. "They've already seen everything anyway..." she thought, and lifting up the curtain, ducked under.  
  
The Don was waiting, and when he saw her enter his face split into a wide grin. He rushed forward to the naked girl in front of him, and hugged Tifa tightly. It shocked Tifa so much that she momentarily thought he was attacking. Then he backed away, and sat on the edge of the large bed behind him. He looked at her, beaming, and patted the spot next to him. Tifa didn't move. He paused for a millisecond, but regained his composure at once. "So... let us get down to business then. I understand you wish to work for me?"  
Tifa didn't even show that she had registered him talking at all.  
"Ahh, well. My establishment is for only the most refined of gentlemen, of course. So treatment similar to that which you just received will most likely not come up again... I do apologize, but don't worry. You will be paid for that, your first payment, even! Isn't that exciting?" The Don clapped his hands together. "So! Now that that's cleared up, onto the good stuff hmm? Having this job will give you all kinds of benefits, I see to it personally that all my girls are fed, watered, and have a place to sleep. Work uniforms will be supplied, free of charge. You could hardly call what you had on earlier up to our strict code after all .You have a beautiful body, and girls like you bring in all kinds of customers, so we couldn't possibly have you in a rag like that!"  
Somewhere deep down, Tifa felt quite indignant of being talked to like this, and surveyed as if she were a piece of meat. On the outside however, she kept a silent, sullen face. She didnt want to do this... and even after her treatment, the thought of food, drink, and a warm bed was incredibly difficult to resist...  
"Of course, those are just the benefits, of course. We havent even started with the pay" The Don continued, "If you join our Honey Bee Family, you will be paid a minimum of one hundred Gil a night, and all the tips you earn are yours, of course. So your pay is entirely up to you, with a hundred Gil minimum. Not bad huh? If you need some time to think, it is entirely understandable... and if you would like to stay the night, there is a free room out the door and to the left. I hope to see you later if you decide to join us!" Tifa stood up to leave.  
"Y'know... I usually only pay my girls 95 when they first start... but you, you sweetie, I have a good feeling about you." He swatted her bottom with his palm. She paused at his touch... and without a word continued her way out.  
  
----------------------------------------------Thats it for Chapter 5!------- -----------------------------------------------  
Im not sure whether to continue or not... there are obviously two paths for Tifa to take... So let me know in your reviews! Keep going, or end it here? I have an idea for both ways, so either way theres atleast one more Chapter to come.  
  
---------Also a big thank you to Mithrandir505, Lynx16, and AngelOfDeath10 for reviewing!---------- 


	6. The Decision

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.  
  
Outside the Dons door, the already dark room seemed to be even more dim. She absentmindedly walked towards the stair case. She paused at the top, and closed her eyes. Inside her a vicious war between emotions was taking place. On the one side was the wonderful prospect of 100 Gil a night. 100 Gil. To her, this amount of money was nearly unfathomable. To think just the night before she had been forced to use most of her willpower just to pay at the local Inn. Not to mention all the tips the Don had mentioned. He had also mentioned that he had "a good feeling about her". Not for the first or last time, visions of Marlene happy and well fed, wearing new clothes and playing with a new doll danced across her mind. Her Bar sparkled with cleanliness, new tables and chairs lay out neatly before her mind inside her imaginary world. Even if she only worked for a few weeks she would have more money then most people in the Slums hope to make in a year. It was the True Midgar dream, not the scummy, miserable, underground life she had been inhabiting. "Maybe this job isn't as bad as I thought..."  
  
At this point, another side of her spoke up. Visions of dirty, smirking men clouded her mind. Laughing, jeering men. Full of alcohol and flying high on testosterone, hooting and catcalling to her. She envisioned herself down on her knees scrambling for Gil thrown at her. Men pointed at her, tossing only one or two Gil apiece, watching her desperately scramble around for coins. Then the Don rose tallest among them, and threw a large bag of Gil at her feet, "There you go sweetie, now you be a good girl for me?". And then she was all alone in the dark, a bright spotlight glared above, making all the figures around her into demonic looking shadows. The chant the crowd had been shouting at her before the interview rang clear in here ears, "Slut! Slut! Slut!". Pathetically Tifa crouched down and hugged her knees, bowing her head in shame. The spotlight became blindingly bright, and suddenly Tifa was yet again standing naked on at the top of the stairs of the Dons Mansion. The world of her perfect Bar, and the darkness of what it would take to make it, blurred and mixed together and formed the cheap, roughly cut door on her left. She had made up her mind.  
  
Tifa had come here for an interview for a job. She had clearly passed, and would be accepted, with more pay than She could have hoped for. The prospect of all that Gil was impossible to shake. Very slowly, she moved her feet across the creaking floor, and opened the door to her new bedroom.  
  
------That's it for Chapter...uh...6 ! More to come, perhaps perhaps....------  
  
-----------------Also a big thank you to "Midas", "Prexistence", and "And"!- ---------------- 


	7. Cid

Disclaimer- I own nuffin.

"Cid! You crazy bastard!" a middle-aged man yelled in the middle of a busy bar one evening in Rocket Town, grinning widely, "I cant believe you were the one of us picked to go to Midgar for Shinra's new Space Program!". The man sitting across from him smirked confidently setting down his glass of beer, and took a long drag off his cigarette, blowing out a mouthful of smoke "Well, what did you expect? Shinra did say they wanted the best of the best, and when they called me, they got just that." Cid was a middle aged man, with blonde hair sticking up from under his flying goggles. A blue aviators jacket was draped across the back of his chair. "I still say that you're just a lucky, lucky, bastard" the other man said, slamming down his mug on the table "Yeah well, I think you're just a regular bastard so we're even".Cid replied, still with a trace of a smile playing on his lips. The two had been friends for a long time, and this kind of talk was their way of congratulations.

"Well Cid, Im just glad one of us got picked. I knew it was down to us two anyway, the rest of these rookies don't know nuthin about flying nuthin." This got a general roar of disapproval from the other people bustling through the crowded pub, but Cid and his companion just laughed and clinked their glasses together. "To Midgar!" Cid toasted, his friend echoing him.

Later that night, Cid said his goodbyes, and headed home to his empty house. Opening the door, he flicked on a light and the Mako lights flooded the building. His love of flight was obvious, just by looking through his belongings. Models of airships and rockets hung from the ceiling, while complex aeronautical charts covered the walls. Most were covered in a layer of dust, except for the largest model of a rocket that was in the middle of the first room. Cid walked over to it, and sat down on a creaky wooden chair, pulling up close to it. He picked up a small screwdriver sitting next to the model, and unscrewed the top layer of the rocket. Setting it aside, he bent in close to examine the interior. Every inch of this rocket had been custom made by himself. Every lever, every tile, every centimeter was perfect and precise. This was what he was bringing to Midgar to show the high end executives. He pulled his cigarette out of his mouth, and rubbed it out into the ash tray. When he was working on this was the only time he would ever stop smoking.

Cid stayed up long into the night, doing minor tweaking to his design. It all had to go smoothly in Midgar. He couldn't afford any mistakes. He had been planning all his life, ever since he was born and given a toy airplane and looked up to the sky, he had been fascinated with space. He had to go out there, at least once. To go higher than anyone else, to see everything all at once, to go where noone has gone before and gaze at the never-ending vastness of the universe. He had to go at least once. The reason why he was going up didn't matter. If Shinra offered him an opportunity to get there, He would do anything to grasp the chance.

The next morning, a large Shinra airship landed in the large meadow behind Rocket Town, and Cid was there waiting. His trademark cigarette tight in his lips, goggles resting on his forehead. A small suitcase was on one side of him, and on the other was a crate tightly nailed and taped shut. The propellers blew cold wind into his face, and his hair swayed in the breeze. Completely undeterred, Cid stared up at the Airships balcony with narrowed eyes. A airman leaned over the side and shouted down at him "Are you Highwind? Cid Highwind?". Cid waved up at him with one arm, "Yeah! Who else would I be?"

A rope ladder was thrown down, and landed with a thud next to where Cid stood. The Airman quickly slid down it, and reached for the crate. Cid smacked him upside the head, "Don't touch that!", and tossed his suitcase at the Shinra employee instead. The Airman glanced at him, and started up the ladder, carrying the luggage up with him. Cid followed after, carefully holding the crate to his side. Very slowly he made his way up the ladder, puffing and swearing the whole way up.

Eventually he reached the top, and glared over at one of the crew members. "So this is the great Shinra company, is it? I have to say I expected something a little more extravagant then a rope ladder. If anything had happened to my cargo, there'd be Hell to pay." Cid flicked the butt of a cigarette over the side, and lit up a new one, "How long is this trip gonna take? I've heard this Airship is Shinra's pride and joy."

"I'm not sure, Sir, but I have been given strict instructions to take you straight to your room and that you stay there for the entire journey. You aren't officially with Shinra, so you are obviously not going to be allowed to just wander wherever you want." The Crewman put his hand down on the holster of his gun, and Cid glared at him momentarily.

"Well, wheres my room then?" Cid grunted, and shifted the crate into a more comfortable position. He was willing to do whatever Shinra wanted, and if that meant he had to stay in his room for the entire journey, that was fine. He'd trade an airship for a spaceship any day.

The crewman broke into a smile, and lifted up Cid's suitcase, "Excellent Sir, this way if you will..." and opened the door to the interior of the Airship, gesturing for Cid to go first.

Cid let himself be pushed through the hallway, clutching the crate close to him the whole way. They walked past several closed doors, some with windows. Through one window Cid saw what must have been the engine room, and sighed slightly. He wanted so badly to go in and see the massive motors work. He wanted to watch it in motion, and find out as much as he could about it. It was just who he was, and nothing could change that. The thought of flying out to space was, however, enough to get him past the door. Just barely, though.

Eventually they got to a small room, with a bed on one side and a window in the other. There was barely enough space for Cid and his luggage, but he still somehow managed to smile out as the Airman closed the door behind him. He heard the lock click into place. Looking out the window, he had a wide view of Rocket Town. It was empty and desolate looking. "Too early for anyone to be awake..." he thought, as he felt a shudder run through the entire airship around him. An intercom rang clear above the doorway, "All crew and personnel, prepare for takeoff". Cid braced himself against the bed, still gazing out the window as the Airship rose up off the ground, and slowly coasted over Rocket Town.

Once they had flown past Rocket Town's borders, Cid collapsed back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling, putting his hands behind his head.

--------------------Thats it for Chapter 7, and yes this will relate to the rest of the story...--------------------

----------------- Also a big thank you for reviewing to "And", "Prexistence", and "Midas"!---------------


	8. Shinra

Disclaimer-I own everything. Yep. And I own the universe.. I own the United States of America. I own everything and everyone. I own you. (If you believe that, stop reading this story now. You don't deserve to.)

The bright lights of the top plate of Midgar shone palely through the polluted mists surrounding the city, their dull luminescence put to shame by the natural light of the half moon glistening above, surrounded by the tiny starlit torches. Between the foggy haze of electricity and the ancient glow of the moon, a small speck coasted in the median of the two. The Shinra airship was exponentially dwarfed by both moon and city, and the man lying quietly inside, puffing his cigarette and dropping his ashes in the vents, was next to nothing in comparison. The man looked up to the heavens with a small smile on his face and a light in his eyes, from neither above or below, but within his own self.

Early that morning, Cid Highwind had left his home in Rocket Town to pursue his dreams of space flight, and even as he took one last glimpse at the night sky the airship slowly began to descend down into the smog of Midgar. One small star seemed to wink to Cid, before the window was obscured by the manufactured clouds of dust and waste. Nothing could be seen out of the window, except for a long gray haze of nothingness stretching into forever and beyond. Still Cid gazed outward until two sharp knocks at the door brought him out of his mindless stupor. As he turned around, the door was already opened and a Shinra guard stood, silhouetted against a brighter florescent light from the hallway. "We are within a few minutes time of landing at Shinra Headquarters. Please collect all of your belongings, and I will escort you to the nearest exit where you will wait until we have safely landed." he said, and put his arms behind his back. Cid noticed that the Shinra guard was armed with a standard issue rifle, but still decided to ask for something he had been thinking about.

"Can't I at least stand up on the deck, and see us land? This whole trip has been boring as hell. If you hadn't got me this window, I think I would have gone crazy." he ventured, staring the airman in the eyes.

"I'm sorry sir, but I am to follow my orders exactly, which means you are going to follow orders exactly, correct?" The airman replied with a slightly threatening tone, and Cid saw his hands ever so subtly move up and rest upon the rifle mounted on his back.

"Woah woah woah there buddy, I was only askin'. No need to get your panties all in a twist. Well hurry up and let's go then! I wanna get of f this bucket, and see the real Shinra splendor I've heard so much about." Cid said quickly and untruthfully. Despite the excitement waiting for him off the ship, it was hardly a "bucket" to his mind. Aside from an actual space ship, this was as good as it could possibly get for any pilot, let alone one that had been obsessed with flying from the time he could walk. Many happy hours and days he could have spent alone on this airship, if he ever had the chance. But be damned if he was about to let some low level Airman know about that, though.

Without another word, the Shinra member stood to the side and gestured to the pilot to move out of the room. Taking a long drag off his last cigarette, Cid flicked it into the small vent on the floor. The Shinra Airman looked disapprovingly under the brim of his hat, but didn't say anything. Cid picked up the crate holding his precious cargo, and walked carefully out of the doorway. As soon as he was in the hallway, he immediately met another guard standing in his path. Behind him, the door to his cabin closed and locked, his suitcase still inside. The first guard came up behind Cid, and the second went ahead. Cid almost felt like a prisoner, walking in line with armed men both in front and behind him. While they walked down what seemed like an endless maze of hallways and passages, the ship creaked and groaned as it slowly docked on top of the Shinra Building. With a loud thud that sent a shiver through the entire ship, it grounded on the roof and Cid saw a small opening of light at the end of the tunnel. For all his time spent in confined spaces and within machines, Cid suddenly felt anxious. His guards seemed to feel the same way, and they started to hurry onward. The light steadily grew closer as the lights in the airship shut off, and electricity was cut until the next voyage. A small set of backup lights lined the floor, but when Cid finally reached the doorway and stepped out, the light was violent to his eyes which had become accustomed to the dark in so short a time. No sooner had he adjusted to the new scene, when his guards left him and stood off to the side of the large landing pad. If there hadn't been such a haze, and if it hadn't have been night, the view from the top would have been magnificent to say the least. As it currently was however, all was quiet and dim.

Before Cid stood a man of little height, but considerable width. A warm brown suit covered most of his body, and a few reminiscent hairs strayed across his balding head. Immediately the man struck a good chord with Cid. His rounded face seemed capable of endless smiling, and even as he walked forward to meet him, the hint of a smile seemed to play on his face.

"Greetings Captain Highwind!" The man said, this time with a full smile splayed across his face, "Welcome to Midgar, and more importantly, welcome to Shinra! We have been waiting a long time for you, and what you can bring to our cooperation. I can say myself that I have quite been awaiting your arrival. Aeronautics have always fascinated me, although never more than as a past time or hobby I'm afraid. But still here I am, meeting the greatest pilot we know of! It is a great honor to meet you." and with that he extended a genuine hand of welcome.

"H-hey, good to be here." was all Cid could say. His mind was still reeling from all the confidence and compliments that the man had showered upon him, and being called 'Captain' was far from the least important. All his life he had dreamed of being a captain, of an airship of course, and here was a man who had called him a name with such dignity and respect, without so much as hearing a word from his mouth. After a few moments it registered with him that the other mans hand was still outstretched, and his eyes were watching Cid eagerly. Shifting the crate to one side and balancing it with his leg, he quickly shook the extended hand, "Sorry, but what's your name?" Cid said, remembering to ask after the handshake.

"Everyone just calls me Palmer." the man said, and after clearing his throat, "but for the official record it's 'Assistant director of Shinra explorations and Energy Research Lieutenant Palmer', but what's in a name, anyway?" Palmer finished, with another smile crossing his face.

"Well Palmer, like I said, good to be here. Now I don't want to be blunt, but when does everything start?"

"Everything? Well everything has already started, yes sir yes sir! But as for your part in it... you and your special baggage..." Palmer patted the crate gently, "Those are scheduled for tomorrow, at exactly 10:00 hours, MST. But don't worry, after you are situated in your room, which I sincerely hope will be to your liking, there are plenty of things to do in our illustrious headquarters. I would like to say that I myself would enjoy your company, however poor it may be when I am in the presence of such a wonderful pilot such as yourself, but as I said before... aeronautics is my past time, and I would dearly love a discussion with a peer about them." His grin somehow seemed to double, and his whole face seemed to be a giant flash of glee just at the thought.

"With an invite like that, how the hell can I possibly say no? Lead the way." Cid said, with smile of his own. Not even he could resist the seemingly never ending praise, especially coming from someone who knew about the things he did, and was impressed all the more because of it. So with an arm on Cid's shoulder, and the crate in his Cid's hands, Palmer walked into the Shinra buildings top floor, the automatic door swished shut behind them and the night was dark.

-----------------------------That's it for Chapter 8 -----------------------------

Alright, now listen. Or read. Whichever. This is not review scavenging, but I have a few things to say about anyone who reviews my story... I love you. If it weren't for reviews, I wouldn't have any reason to try and better myself, that is if I continued along at all. Just an especially huge thank you to anyone who has reviewed any of my stories, even if it was a flame. Anything is great. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

-The Amazing Me


	9. Palmer

Disclaimer-I own the color red. Not Final Fantasy or any of its affiliated copyrighted material though...

The elevator hummed as the lights indicating the different floors slowly flicked on and off. Palmer seemed to be capable of constant speech and was rambling on about something or other, occasionally motioning towards Cid with a smile on his face. The pilot did his best to pay attention, but was soon lost among all the different people and places Palmer was describing. Vaguely aware of Palmer's hand on his shoulder, the elevator doors opened and Cid was lead into what looked like a library. Books ranging from facts about Mako energy to Wartime weapon designs. "... and here we are in Shinra's executive information database, where all the knowledge we have ever obtained is collected and organized. I don't know how much you like to sit and read, Captain Highwind, but I never quite developed the thirst for it as some do. We aren't all scholars, eh?" Palmer smiled knowingly, and gave Cid a slight poke with his elbow.

"Some of this stuff is kind of interestin', but nothing really all that breathtaking about a bunch of books, no matter how nice and neat you stack them." Cid replied, "Is there anything to drink around here? If I ain't got to do anything until tomorrow, I might as well enjoy the night."

Palmer bowed slightly with a look of regret, "No I'm afraid not, all of our Shinra headquarters is strictly a non-alcoholic area, and none of our permanent employees are permitted to drink at all, I'm sorry to say." He was silent for a moment, as if debating something, "But I'll tell you what, since you're not _really_ a Shinra employee... it wouldn't technically be a violation of the rules to let you go out and maybe get something for yourself? Let's keep this hush-hush between us though, no need for unnecessary risks or to panic the higher-ups."

"Of course!" Cid answered, "Just between you and me."

"Right." Palmer said, "Unfortunately the only sort of business in the area is somewhat... lower class, 'Wal-Market', or something like that, is directly below the Shinra headquarters. But here, take this at least. All of the senior executives here are members of the best establishment around." He handed Cid a fancy looking black card, with golden yellow text advertising "The Honey Bee Inn".

"Thanks," Cid said, and put it in his front pocket, "Now what about my stuff? We both know how important this crate is, so do I got a room somewhere in this joint?"

"Oh don't worry about that Captain, I assure you it will be taken care of with all the comforts and precautions Shinra has available. Is everything in this crate? Everything about the Space Program?

"Yeah, that's all of it."

"Excellent excellent, now you go on and have a good time tonight and don't worry about it. Shinra takes care of things that are important to it."

Cid set the crate down gently on the lush carpet floor, and Palmer lead him over to an awaiting elevator. Cid stood in the elevator door, and nodded to Palmer, who began to wave goodbye frantically as the automatic doors swished shut, and took the Captain down to ground level.

As soon as the doors closed, Palmer immediately hurried over to the crate and pushed a button inside his coat. Within a few moments the elevator had come back up, and two Shinra employees exited to lift the crate and take it to the back of the library for filing. "Be careful with that, you idiots!" Palmer spat, his voice changing from its pleasant misdemeanor to a spiteful hiss, "We had to ship that stupid alcoholic all the way from Rocket Town just to get our hands on that. How talent to build a spaceship ever came to a fool like that, I don't know... but be damned careful or you can become a pair of Hojo's new experiments!"

After everything had been but away, the two employee's went down the elevator, and Palmer turned to a staircase in the back of the room. He pulled out a small golden key, and the lights dimmed out, showing hundreds of red detection lasers shooting through the room. Chuckling to himself, Palmer walked up the stairs, and turning another keyhole, slide the stairway doors closed behind him. Alone in the library was Cid's suitcase and other personal belongings, completley forgotten about in the dark.

Cid meanwhile was standing outside the Shinra building, cupping his hands and trying to light up a cigarette. Finally succeeding, he inhaled deeply and looked around him. Dimly below a neon glow faded in and out, and a large sign could be read with the name "Wal-Market". He exhaled, and pinching the cigarette between his teeth reached in his pocket and pulled out the Honey Bee Inn Membership card. It was actually pretty plain, except for the golden cursive letters reading 'The holder of this card is entitled to enter the finest gentleman's club in all of Midgar, with all bills and fees sent directly to Shinra Inc.' "Sounds good enough to me!" Cid thought, and started to slowly amble down the hill, dragging off his cigarette and looking at the world around him.

Wal-Market seemed like a grimy place, plagued with ill-favored businesses and small shops. Smoke seemed to wreath the sky, which Cid hadn't noticed on the way in. It was somewhat comforting to not be the only one blowing smoke into the sky, as his own puffs blended into the murky air above. Nothing special seemed to stick out among the drab scenery of dilapidated buildings. Never being one to ask for help, he wandered through the streets looking for any sign of the Honey Bee. He found a gym, a few shops, and even an old fashioned looking regular inn, but nothing with the name he was looking for. Eventually he saw flashing lights at the end of a street, and a group of men gathered, looking nervous or even afraid. At this point Cid realized he was walking around what was one of the most desolate areas he had seen in his entire life completley unarmed. He stooped down and picked up a rock, which wasn't much but was better than nothing. Cautiously he walked up to the crowd, his teeth clenched and his knuckles white around his most primitive of weapons.

When he reached them, and saw what the commotion was about, he almost laughed at himself. All the men were either eyeing each other, the ground, or what appeared to be a bouncer outside of a giant building. Neon lights buzzed, and high powered spotlights shone through the smog above, streaming up into the sky. Cid had found the Honey Bee Inn. One man seemed to be conversing with the bouncer, who didn't look very impressed by his efforts. To Cid it seemed pathetic, as he watched the man steadily becoming more desperate to get in. He started begging, and when that didn't work, took a swing. The bouncer, nearly twice the offending mans size, easily took the hit, and then proceeded to lift the aggressor off his feet and slam him against the ground. The rest of the group watched the whole affair, and shuddered as their apparent leader was destroyed. The bouncer didn't show any sort of emotion– dark sunglasses hid his eyes.

Cid was watching too, and after the affair flicked his cigarette on the ground and dropped his rock.. The club didn't seem very gentlemanly so far, and he wondered if there was more than one Honey Bee Inn, as he pulled the card out to examine again. One of the men looked up from aiding his fallen comrade, and seeing the black token in Cid's hand, let out an exclamation. "Holy shit! You's a member!" which got the attention of the rest of them. They hurried over, leaving the unconscious person lying in the dust. The bouncer for the first time showed an interest beyond keeping down troublemakers and glanced in Cid's direction. Immediately after being discovered, Cid instinctively raised his fist. "Stay the hell away from me!". Regardless, he soon found himself surrounded. Someone tripped him, and he fell down onto his trusty rock. "Damnit!" He yelled, and gripped the card as tightly as he could. Not that he wanted to go to the club all that bad, but at this point he was simply trying to hold onto his pride and not be mugged by a band of desperate nobodies outside of a bar in the big city with his own rock dug into the small of his back. Just as they all started grabbing at his hands, there was a loud meaty noise and one of the attackers was beaten aside by the Bouncer. Some gave up the fight after this unwanted intrusion, and fled down the street. The rest shifted their attention, and rushed the Bouncer. Only three remained. With another swift move, the Bouncer threw another aside. While he was taking care of that, the other two made a move towards him. Caught off guard, the Bouncer was only able to tackle one of them to the ground. The other brought his foot back for a crushing blow, but Cid had not been idle. Weaponless he wrapped his arm around the man from behind, and headlocked him into submission. After a few moments struggle he went down. The Bouncer had finished his fight, and helped lift Cid off the ground. Re-adjusting his sunglasses, he patted the dust off and looked at Cid, speaking for the first time in a gruff voice. "Your card please, Sir."

Smirking at the fallen would-be-theives, Cid put his admission slip into the Bouncer's slightly swollen hand. Without a second glace, it was handed back and the Bouncer bowed his head and pointed his arm off to the side, gesturing for Cid to pass through the curtained door behind. Cid nodded, and walked by. Once the Pilot had entered and the curtain fell closed, the Bouncer sneered and muttered "They don't pay me enough for this..."


End file.
